Home
Attractions
Businesses
Campgrounds
Cities & Towns
Government
History
Events
Links
Motels
Resorts A-L
Resorts M-Z
Travel

© 2005 Lakeweb1
 Internet Services
All Rights Reserved

Visit the ItascaWeb Shopping Guide
Deals * Offers * Sales

ItascaWeb.com Guide to Bowstring, Minnesota

Home | Attractions | Businesses | Campgrounds | Cities & Towns | Government
History | Events | Links | Motels | Resorts A-L | Resorts M-Z | Travel

View from Lake of Bowstring Shores Resort

Sunset on Bowstring Lake
(Bowstring Shores Resort)

Bowstring Lake
(Northern Acres Resort)

Bowstring Lake
(Georgene's Haven Resort)

Bowstring Lake from
Snug Harbor Resort

Happy Fisherman
(Bowstring Shores Resort)

Harbor at Rocky Shores Resort

Bowstring Lake
(Rocky Shores Resort)

View from Lake of Bowstring Shores Resort

Sunset on Bowstring Lake
(Bowstring Shores Resort)

Interior of one of the cabins at Geiger's Trails End

Bowstring Snowmobile Trail

Camping at the Northern Acres Resort & Campground

The Day's Catch at the Snug Harbor Resort

Bowstring Lake
(Northern Acres Resort)

Harbor at Rocky Shores Resort

View from Lake of Bowstring Shores Resort

Harbor at Rocky Shores Resort

Long before the white man came to northern Minnesota, the Ojibwe were settled on the shores of the Bowstring Lake area. The settlements were usually near water that provided a method of transportation.

Duncan MacDougal homesteaded on Bowstring Lake in about 1894, and William Donnely arrived in 1895. Other early homesteaders included the Erickson, Melhus, Gibbs, Johnston, Christie and Sombs families.

W.J. Gibbs arrived in Bowstring in 1896 at the present site of the Bowstring Lodge. In 1901, he built a store which was designated as the first post office in 1902. 

Jessie Lake and Bowstring townships were a combined township in the early days. In April 1916 The Itasca News reported that all of the officers elected were from the north end of Lake Jessie Township. This resulted in a petition that was liberally signed in both extremities of the Township for a legal division of the territory. The petition was approved by the county commissioners. The newly organized Township of Bowstring then held an election. Elected were supervisors Algot Johnson, J. H. Miller, L. Mallett, town clerk Ervin Sombs, and justices of the peace Malcolm Campbell and Jacob Jacobson.

After Gibbs moved to Inger in 1910, Carl Christie was named postmaster at Bowstring. The post office was moved to Schedin's store. Bowstring Store is the current site of the post office.

The area was dotted with small country schools at one time, often named for the families that donated the land. In Bowstring there was a Donnely, Greenwood, South Bowstring and Sombs school.

Bowstring also has cemetery named after the family who donated the land. The Donnely Cemetery is the final resting place for many of the of the Bowstring pioneers.

Later the people at Bowstring needed a church, so they built one. The US Forestry donated the trees. Local volunteers logged, sawed and planed the lumber. The women were busy raising money, and when they had $300, they began to build. Rev. Herb Peters was asked for help and they affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The cornerstone was laid in 1961.

The Bowstring Store, located at the junction of State Highway 6 and County Road 133 was built by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Schedin. The post office was moved to the store and the Schedins operated the business for many years. Present owners Randy and Chris Harju have built a large addition to the store and continue as postmasters of Bowstring.

Bowstring Store in the 1950's

There is an airport at Bowstring were a 2500 foot landing strip opened in 1961. Owned by Itasca County, it is "the best kept secret in the County" according to Airport Board Member Art Merdes.

Excerpted from the Deer River Centennial History, published by the Deer River Area Centennial Committee, 1998

Store at Christie's Resort, 1950

Businesses:

Bowstring Shores	49231 County Road 173 Deer River MN 56636	(218) 832-3101 (888) 832-3101
Experience the thrill of world class fishing! Walleyes, northerns or crappies. The excellent fishing at Bowstring Shores offers fun for all ages. Boats, motors, bait, gas and oil are available at the dock along with a ramp for boat launching. We brag the best fishing in the Chippewa National Forest. Join us and prove it to yourself! Fish the famous walleye and northern waters of Bowstring Lake, known by locals as "Minnesota's Pike Hole." Whether you are looking for the quiet solitude of the Chippewa National Forest, or the companionship of new friends, you will find it all at Bowstring Shores Resort. Our cozy lodge offers a place to gather with friends, old and new. Play a game of pool, enjoy a soft drink and just relax. Light groceries, gameroom, snack bar, fish freezing and laundry facilities are also available. For outside play, enjoy the heated pool, playground or a game of horseshoes, volleyball or basketball. Our family operated resort offers 14 housekeeping cottages in a variety of sizes. Our cabins are guaranteed clean, attractive and comfortable. You need only bring groceries, towels, and your "can't do withouts".
Geiger's Trails End Email: ggeiger@bigfork.net	51713 Trails End Road Deer River, MN 56636	(800) 617-4589
Spend a memorable vacation with us on Bowstring Lake. Our resort is designed with your comfort in mind, with lakeside vacation homes secluded in the Chippewa National Forest. There's NO LIMIT to the fishing adventures on Bowstring Lake, located 40 miles north of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. That's especially true if you're staying at Geiger's Trails End Resort, where we'll treat you like family by showing you the best fishing spots and providing great accommodations for your entire party. Get ready to REEL in unforgettable vacation memories. Geiger's is a family resort in the secluded Chippewa National Forest. With our clean and comfortable lakeside vacation homes, we're a cut above the rest. We also offer a large visiting lodge with a game room, TV, and a sandy beach -- perfect for hot summer days -- and a playground with swings, a slide and more!
Georgene's Haven	50241 County Road 35 Deer River, MN 56636	(218) 832-3076
Bowstring Lake is a classic Walleye fishery, being relatively large, shallow, wind-swept and sandy in character. Its dark waters warm up quickly making it a good early lake. The DNR's stocking efforts, along with good natural reproduction provide excellent Walleye fishing. It is also fairly easy to fish with its sandbars and rock piles being good magnets for Walleye and Crappie. The northern end of the lake is full of weedbeds, which attract Northern Pike, Crappie and Perch. Northern average 3 pounds with some reaching the 20 pound class. In addition to the weedbed area, Inger Bay, on the east side by the Bowstring River outlet, is good for large Pike. Perch are found throughout the lake with some jumbos 9" and up. The Crappie fishing is phenomenal. Good number of slabs, in the 1 to 2 pound range, are caught throughout the year. Rarely do you catch a papermouth that isn't a keeper. Fishing pressure for them seems to be at its peak during the winter. The eastern shoreline of the lake has a relatively steep drop-off and is rocky. The north sides bottom structure is primarily sand, mixed with areas of rock.
Jessie View Resort and RV Campground	45756 County Road 35 Deer River, MN 56636	(218) 832-3678 (877) JESSIEV
Whether you like a lot of activity, or prefer solitude, Jessie View Resort offers superb accommodations on 40 quiet acres in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest. Come see for yourself what great hospitality means!   Large, modern cabins, full RV hook-ups, camping, showers, recreation center, safe/sandy swimming beach, boating, excellent fishing and hunting, snowmobiling. Spacious grounds located on 40 acres in the midst of the Chippewa National Forest. Cabins and campgrounds separated by large trees for ample space and privacy. (see directions page for resort layout) Gradual elevation - no stairs to climb. Spectacular starry nights and picturesque sunsets. Conveniently located in the Deer River/Grand Rapids area. ALL PAVED ROADS TO RESORT. INTERNET connection. For those of you that must stay connected, we have data ports available 24 hours/day. Reunion or large group accommodations. Cabin and camping combos; FREE USE of centralized meeting area for potlucks, scrapbooking, quilting, etc.
Northern Acres Resort & Campground	47292 Bowstring Access Deer River, MN 56636	(218) 659-2845 (evening & weekend) (218) 659-2885 (days & fax)
Our small, family-oriented resort and campground is located on Bowstring Lake in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest. Come and enjoy our quiet, unspoiled surroundings, the beautiful sunrises over Bowstring Lake, the excellent fishing and other outdoor sports, the scenic walking trails through the woods, many kinds of birds and wildlife, and the area's varied recreational opportunities. Because part of the fun in vacationing is to escape the hectic schedules of daily life, we offer very few planned activities. Bowstring Lake provides activities for all ages, including fishing, boating and swimming. We can suggest local events and sights, too, to interest almost everyone. There is even a small new casino in Deer River, less than half an hour away. Please plan to provide appropriate parental supervision for young children, especially near the water!
Rocky Shores Resort	49375 Holaseik Road Deer River, MN 56636	(218) 832-3556 (866) 878-0101
The resort is located on the east shore of Bowstring Lake in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest.  Here you can relax and enjoy nature in the great Northwoods, experience dozens of area attractions and get hooked on some of the best northern, perch, panfish, bass and walleye fishing in northern Minnesota.    Our seven 1, 2, and 3 bedroom cabins are very clean, comfortable and fully furnished with all the modern amenities to ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from your stay with us.  We've also added 12 seasonal RV sites set amidst the trees on our 40-acre property. We offer boat and motor rental, dock rental for your own boats, gas and oil, a protected harbor, and a fish cleaning house with free freezer space.  Bowstring Lake is one of the top walleye fishing lakes in Minnesota. The resort has plenty of activities, including a new heated outdoor swimming pool, a new playground, volleyball, horseshoes, hiking trails, a new game room and a lodge with snack items, light groceries, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and hats and souvenirs.
Snug Harbor Resort & Campground	50351 County Road 35 Deer River, MN 56636	(218) 832-3466 (800) 419-5289
Snug Harbor Resort & Campground is located on the shores of Bowstring Lake in northeastern Minnesota, and is completely surrounded by the Chippewa National Forest.  The resort is 222 miles north of Minneapolis and St. Paul,  37 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and 22 miles north of Deer River, Minnesota.   The resort is open from May 1 through November 10 with seven lake-level cabins,  five full hook-up camping sites and four tent sites complete with showers to choose from.  Six of the cabins are two bedroom and one is a three bedroom.  The cabins feature modern conveniences and all have kitchens and baths.  Each cabin also has its own deck with patio chairs and a charcoal grill. Bowstring Lake is widely recognized as one of the Top Walleye Fishing Lakes in Minnesota.  At just over 9,200  acres in size, Bowstring Lake provides tremendous multi-species fishing opportunities. Walleye, northern, jumbo perch, and crappie can all be readily caught here. And nothing compares to the views of the shoreline as seen from a boat or pontoon.

Visions North Lodging Association

Located in the heart of Itasca County our 11 lodging establishments offer you the finest in Minnesota family vacations and fishing adventures complete with lake cabins and camping. All of our resorts and campgrounds offer the incredible beauty of our Northern Minnesota location. You'll spend your vacation days surrounded by forest amidst the abundant wildlife while you fish or simply relax on the crystal-clear waters of Sand Lake, Little Sand Lake, Jessie Lake, and Bowstring Lake. Stay in any of our family-friendly resorts or campgrounds and you will find interesting historical and natural attractions nearby, as well as great dining, shopping, championship golf courses and the best trail systems in the state.

Aerial photo is courtesy of Microsoft's Terra Server and the US Geological Survey

Topographical map is courtesy of Microsoft's Terra Server and the US Geological Survey

You are viewing the ItascaWeb.com Bowstring page.

 
Home  |  Attractions  |  Businesses  |  Campgrounds  |  Cities & Towns  |  Government
History  |  Events  |  Links  |  Motels  |  Resorts A-L  |  Resorts M-Z  |  Travel